Barrel Fluteing

[Iron Worker]

I have a heavy Hart Varmint Contiour BBL 26" How much weight can it be reduced by having it fluted?

 

[Charles A]

Half pound maybe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

 

[demarpaint]

I read somewhere that fluting a barrel should be done before it is rifled. So if you are thinking of having a finished rifle barrel fluted, better check it out first. Maybe one the the smiths can help out here.

Frank D

 

[Shawn Carlock]

Most barrel makers recommend fluting before the buttoning. I have fluted alot of barrels and have had no side effects, I believe that fluting is like everthing else there are good ways to do it and bad. You can flute a heavy 26" barrel with 6 - 1/4" flutes and usually get between 1/2 and 5/8 of a pound depending on depth. Radial fluting will take off 3/4 to 1.0 lbs but the minimum diameter of the flutes must be of a diameter that allows you to matain a sufficiently ridgid barrel.

 

[Guest]

I had Hart flute one of their barrels , they advised against it but did it anyway. They said that they do their fluiting before the barrel is finished lapped. Their reason was that fluting "could" cause the bore to expand.

I was wandering if any of yu guys had a fluted a barrel after getting it shot in and if it changed the accuracy at all. I've got one that I'd like fluted

 

[Shawn Carlock]

I have only shot 1 barrel before fluting it was a 30" 30 cal .950" at muzzle. I could not see any accuracy difference between the 2 versions and the customer has had nothing but good to say about it. It is chambered in 300 Ultra. Now that is only 1 barrel. I believe that the smaller the barrel the more potential for the fluting to effect internal demensions. If it did effect the smaller barrel it most certainly would make it open up in a taper as it got closer to the muzzle and that would be a problem. I have not shot a smaller profile barrel and then fluted it. Most of the barrels I have fluted were of the <u>large</u> sizes. It just has not been a problem on the big ones. Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Shawn , What do you charge to flute a barrel and how big and manny are you flutes? , I may have to send you this barrel.

The barrel is a 28" Rock that finishes at .900 at the muzzel.

 

[Shawn Carlock]

I can do any number of flutes you want depending on how big you make them. On a barrel that size 6 - 1/4" flutes would be pretty good. Depth can depends on what you want. $150.00

Shawn

 

[Bob S.]

Shawn I'm not trying to hijack this. You mentioned radial fluting earlier. What is the diff between the normal fluting seen and radial?

 

[Shawn Carlock]

No problem, radial fluting simply goes around the barrel instead of down it. It gives you roughly double the surface area and cools much faster. There is some theory about the fins left dampening the viberations of the barrel but I believe that is mostly unproven theory. It does cool the barrel much faster. The barrel must be of a larger diameter as it will only be as stiff as the minimum diameter of the fluting. If you go to the Sendero cheek piece thread there is a pic of a radial fluted rifle. If you would like a better pic drop me an email.

 

[Bob S.]

Looks interesting. Is it spiraled or individual rings? How hard to keep clean?

 

[Shawn Carlock]

Individual rings, you will get stuff in grooves but it wipes or blows out easy.